Electric elevator



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Patented Au .25 1.

(No Model.)

J. O. WINTERS.

ELECTRIC ELEVATOR.

@OHn wwm (No Model.)

- witmeaow J. C. WINTERS.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2' ELECTRIC ELEVATOR.

Patented Aug. 20,1895

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. 0. WINTBRiS.

ELECTRIC ELEVATOR.

Patented All @Wihaeooeo- UNITE STATE PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN c. WINTERS, OF MOUNT MoRRIs, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N0. 544,780, dated August 20, 1895. v Application filed December 3, 1894 I Serial No. 530,730. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN C. WINTERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Morris, in the county of Livingston and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in, Electric Elevators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompany-' electric motor traveling with the car and provided with suitable connections with some source of electric supply, and having means whereby the action of the motor and the driven car can be controlled by the operator within the car.

The essential feature of my invention, briefly stated, is the combination with stationary rack-bars on either side of the elevator-shaft of shafts mounted on the frame work of the car and having gear-wheels engaging said racks, said shafts being driven by a worm and worm-gears and said worm being coupled to the armature-shaft of an electric motor. a

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of an elevatorshaft, showing thecar with the motor suspended therefrom. Fig.2 is a view at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view-of the worm and its connections with the driv' ing-shafts. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the driving mechanism. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of the worm and its bearings, and Fig. 6 is a detail section on line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, A denotes the frame on which the driving mechanism is mounted, said frame being shown as supported below the car B, although it is apparent that the car might be hung from the bottom of the frame A, if desired. This frame A, as I prefer to construct it, is rectangular, and in transverse section is of a size nearlythat of the elevator-well in which it is to travel. The frame A consists of four vertical posts or, uprights, which are joined at their upper and lower ends by horizontal connections or platforms 5 b. Mounted on said posts near their upper ends is a skeleton frame 0 having bearings c, in which are mounted two parallel shafts D, having upon their outer ends gear-wheels d rigidly keyed thereon. 5 5 These gear-wheels d mesh with double racks E fixed on either side of the elevator-well. On-the inner faces of said racks E are formed ribs e, which engage guides e on the sides of the-frame A and steady the car. Secured to the shafts D, midway of their length, are two worm-wheels F, which are inclosed in an oiltight case or drum,'which is made up of two plates g, which are bolted together and the outer ends of which rest upon the side bars of the skeleton frame 0. Said case not only servesto cover the worm-wheels and keep them free from dirt and form a reservoir for lubricant, but it acts as a central bearing for the shafts D. At its middle said case has a circular enlarged portion 9 within which is mounted a vertical worm-shaft H- carrying a worm H, which meshes with the worm-wheels F secured to the shafts D on either side of said vertical worm-shaft H.

Loosely mounted on either end of wormshaft H are collars it, between which and the ends of the enlarged worm portion H are antifriction-balls h seated in grooves-formed in the said worm H and said collars h. Adjusting-screws 7L tapped in the plates g, composing the case or drum above referred to, bear against said collarsiand provide means for taking up wear in the bearings and keeping them tight. The lower end of the wormshaft H is provided with a packing h, which prevents the; lubricant within the case or drum which covers the worm and worm-wheels from escaping and dripping upon the motor below; Any suitable stuffing-box may be employed for this purpose. Toprovide means for feedinglubricant to the mechanism within the case an aperture 9 is formed in plate g,

which aperture may be closed by a screw cap or plug to prevent the ingress of dust.

Below the above-described mechanism and rnounted'upon the lower platform 1) of the vertically and in line with the worm-shaft H, being coupled thereto in any suitable manner. It will be understood that the motor is to be controlled from within the car by any suitable means, and that the direction of ro-' tation of the armature-shaft may be governed by the use of a reversing-switch or by rotating the commutator to change the polarity of the armature, as is common where it is necessary to change the direction of rotation of the armatureshaft.

I will now state briefly the operation of my improved elevator. Electric current being supplied to the motor, the armature-shaft is revolved and the worm -shaft H coupled thereto is turned, thus driving the wormwheels F. Said worm-wheels being secured to the shafts D, these shafts with their gearwhcels cl are rotated and the said gear-wheels d, meshing with the racks E on the side of the elevator-well, carry the ear in either direction as the armature-shaft is driven in one direction or the other.

It is apparent from the foregoing that I provide a simple, safe, and effective means for driving an elevator-car and have combined and assembled the several mechanisms in a compact and convenient manner, and as the gear-wheels on the driving-shafts are always in mesh with the racks the worm which drives the worm-wheels carried by the same shafts as the said gear-wheels forms a lock which prevents the driving-shafts and their gearwheels from turning, except when the worm is turned.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent- 1. In an elevator, the combination with the car 13, of a frame attached to said car, an elec tric motor mounted in said frame, the wormshaft H coupled to the driving shaft of said motor, the worm H, the horizontal parallel shafts D each provided at its outer end with gear wheels (I, and two vertical double racks E with which the said gear wheels mesh, said shafts being provided about midway of their lengths with Worm-wheels F meshing with the said worm, and said frame being provided with central bearings for the said shafts D as well as bearings for the outer ends of said shafts.

2. In an elevator, the combination with the car B, of a frame 0 attached to said car, an

electric motor mounted in said frame, the

worm-shaft I-I coupled to the driving shaft of said motor, the worm H, the horizontal parallel shafts D each provided at its outer end with gear wheels d, two vertical double racks E with which the said gear wheels mesh, said shafts being provided about midway of their lengths with worm-wheels F meshing with the said worm, and a casing inclosing the said worm-wheels F and the said worm-shaft and worm, and in which casing the said worm shaft has its bearings, said casing serving also as central bearings for the said shafts D to steady the middle portions of the latter against the thrust of the said worm.

3. In an elevator, the combination with the car, of a rectangular frame attached to said car, an electric motor mounted on said frame, two horizontally placed parallel shafts mounted in hearings on said frame, and provided between their ends with worm-wheels and at their outer ends with'gear wheels meshing with double racks at the sides of the elevator well, a worm shaft meshing with said worm wheels and coupled to the armature shaft of said motor, and a liquid tight inclosing case for said worm wheels and worm shaft, which case also forms a central bearing for said horizontally placed shafts.

4C. In an elevator, the combination with a car, of the frame A attached thereto, an electric motor I mounted in said frame, a worm carrying shaft H, to which the shaft of said motor is coupled, the horizontal shafts D suitably mounted in said frame and provided about midway of their lengths with the wormwheels F meshing with said worm, said shafts being provided at their outer ends with the gear wheels d meshing with the racks E at the sides of the elevator well, and a two-part oil-tight casing in which the said worm shaft with its worm and said worm wheels are inclosed, said casing being suitablysupported by said frame A and providing central bear ings for the said shafts D.

5. In an elevator, the combination with a car, of an electric motor movable therewith, a worm shaft coupled to the driving shaft of said motor, and provided with ball bearings and means for taking up the wear of same, two parallel shafts having worm wheels ongaged by the said worm and provided at their outer ends with gear wheels which mesh with double racks at the sides of the elevator well.

6. In an elevator, the combination with the car B, of the frame A attached to said car, an electric motor mounted in said frame,- the skeleton frame C having bearings 0, two parallel shafts D provided at their outer ends with gear wheels at and near their middle portions with worm-wheels F, the worm-shaft II coupled to the driving shaft of said motor and provided with the worm I-I meshing with said worm-wheels, the double racks E with which the said gear Wheels (1 mesh, said racks being provided with ribs e, and the said frame A being provided at its sides with guides 6' whereby the said frame and car are steadied in their vertical movements, and central bearings for the said shafts D supported by the said skeleton frame 0.

7. In an elevator, the combination with a car, of an electric motor movable therewith,

a worm shaft coupled to the driving shaft of the said motor and provided with a worm, two double vertically placed racks E, two parallel horizontal shafts D provided at their outer ends with gear wheels (1, meshing with ICO said racks, and near their middle pbrtions take up wear in'the thrust bearings for said with worm wheels F meshing with said worm, worm afiorded by said anti-friction balls. 10 a casing inclosing said worin wheels, worm In testimony whereof I affix my signature shaft and worm, collars h on'said'worm-shaft in presence of two witnesses.

at the opposite ends of the said worm, anti- JOHN C. WINTERS. friction balls interposed between said collars Witnesses: r t

and the ends of said worm, and adjusting JOHN M. PROPHET,

screws tapped in said casing and serving to JAS. C. EARLE. 

